Ryu: "The match is over."

Marie: "Not yet!"

She had lost her dominant hand, her thumb shattered, and could no longer grip her sword. Normally, she would have been demoralized, but Marie refused to give up.

She had promised to quit being a noble if she lost. She couldn't simply accept defeat. She picked up her wooden sword with her remaining hand and attacked Ryu.

But before Marie's sword could reach him, Ryu's sword effortlessly sliced through her arm. Marie's left wrist was also broken, and her sword flew away to the corner of the training ground.

She had lost her weapon, her neck was held by a sword, and she was unable to move.

Marie: "That's… impossible… That can't be…"

Marie collapsed to her knees, defeated.

But Ryu pressed his advantage, adding insult to injury.

Ryu: "You said you'd quit being a noble if you lost, didn't you?"

— — — — — —

Marie: "Damn it... Just kill me!"

Ryu: "Are you going to die without keeping your promise? Well, I don't mind, but if you're going to die, do it yourself, don't bother anyone."

Sophie: "W-Wait, Ryujeen!"

Sophie rushed in to intervene.

Sophie: "I apologize for Marie's rudeness! She wasn't serious, can't you please pretend her promise to quit being a noble never happened?"

Ryu: "You heard all those things she said, do you think she should be forgiven?"

Sophie: "It's my fault for not properly educating her, I'll make sure she learns her lesson, so please forgive her. Here, I'm begging you."

Princess Sophie bowed her head.

Seeing this, Marie panicked.

It was unthinkable for a "princess" to bow her head to a commoner.

Marie rushed to Sophie, forgetting the pain in her broken arms.

Marie: "Sophie-sama! Please stop! To bow to a commoner… It's all my fault, if you have to do this, I'll quit being a noble!"

Sophie: "Don't quit so easily. I still need your strength, Marie."

Betty approached them.

Betty gave Marie a potion, saying,

Betty: "Step back, Marie. Let me handle this."

Marie grimaced at the bitter taste of the potion, but as soon as she swallowed it, her broken arms began to heal. Betty handed Marie the remaining potion in the bottle, assuming she could drink it herself now. She pushed Marie to the side and stood in front of Ryu.

Betty: "My turn. If I win, Marie's promise will be void."

Ryu: "…Alright. But what if you lose?"

Betty: "...I... I'll apologize! I'll even kneel down and do whatever you want. That's okay, right?"

Ryu: "Well, that's usually the norm. But I won't let Marie's promise be erased just because you apologize."

Catherine: "Usually, you don't make bets or set conditions for every spar..."

Ryu: "She's the one who set the conditions first, so what can I do?"

— — — — — —

They moved to the center of the training ground and faced each other, swords drawn.

Betty had just witnessed Marie's complete defeat, her hands and feet useless, yet she had a relaxed and confident expression.

Betty was a noble, of course, but unlike Marie, her family wasn't a 'Knight' family. She had received basic sword training as a noble, but she was just slightly better than a commoner, not at the level of a knight or swordsman who could excel among nobles.

But… Betty's family was a lineage of powerful magic users.

In the first place, the reason why nobles are nobles, not their swordsmanship, but their magic.

It is said that a long time ago, those who could use magic came together, called themselves nobles, and ruled over those who couldn't, which is how the class difference between commoners and the ruling class began. (The royal family was the most powerful clan among these nobles).

So, they were originally the same humans, not different species or creatures.

The nobles of the time had completely eliminated or banished those who couldn't use magic from within their ranks, leaving only those who could use powerful magic, and successfully improved their bloodline.

However, a certain percentage of magic users emerged from among the commoners. Over time, some nobles, despite being able to use powerful magic, renounced their noble status and became commoners, marrying commoners.

Also, over time, the systematic purging and banishment that had once been so rigorous became less strict, and the blood gradually diluted.

(Modern nobles can't use magic as powerfully as the ancient magicians. That's why some spells, such as teleportation magic, only exist in legends and have been lost).

Even today, a certain percentage of people with a natural aptitude for magic are born among commoners. In fact, most people who can't use the simplest of magic, like starting a fire or summoning water, are in the minority. And occasionally, someone will be born among commoners who can use magic as powerfully as a noble.

That is to say, being able to use magic doesn't necessarily mean you are a noble.

But even so, those of noble lineage still have a higher chance of having someone who can use powerful magic.

— — — — — —

Betty came from a family of magic masters. Maybe it was her bloodline, but she had a natural talent for offensive magic. It wasn't enough to make her a Grand Sorcerer, but her magic skills were impressive enough to get her a job as a princess's escorting maid.

However, Betty pretended to be a swordsman, holding her sword, ready to fight Ryujeen. She wanted to catch him off guard with her magic, pretending to be a swordsman.

It was a bit underhanded, but a noble could never lose to a commoner. It was inconceivable for Marie to give up her noble status.

But…

Betty did look the part of a swordsman with her sword in hand, but there was a lack of presence, a lack of the intimidating aura unique to those who were confident in their swordsmanship, like Marie and Reynard. She was strangely overconfident. Sensing something off about her attitude, Ryu activated his Divine Eye and examined Betty, realizing that she was skilled in magic.

Betty, unaware of being read, attacked Ryu with her wooden sword. She wanted to strike first. More than anything, she thought that based on what she had seen of Ryu's swordsmanship, she wouldn't be able to block or dodge an attack if she was attacked first. So she decided to keep him on the defensive, attacking him relentlessly.

Her plan worked, and Ryu assumed a defensive posture with his sword.

With the opportunity she had been hoping for, Betty cast "Fireball".

She couldn't cast spells without chanting, but Betty was capable of using powerful spells with ultra-short chants. With just one word, "Fireball", three fireballs materialized in front of her in an instant, flying towards Ryu.

Sophie: "Betty, are you trying to kill him?!"

The fireballs were small, but Betty's fireballs were highly compressed and could easily turn a person to ash in one hit. Sophie, knowing this, exclaimed in surprise.

— — — — — — — — — —

To be continued

Betty's battle - Part 2

Don't miss the next episode!